Device for applying a cosmetic product, in particular mascara

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for applying a cosmetic product, in particular mascara, comprising an applicator ( 10 ) and a mesh ( 20 ), said applicator ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of fibres ( 12 ) forming an applicator zone (Z). The applicator ( 10 ) is able to be moved with respect to the mesh ( 20 ), said mesh ( 20 ) defining a lattice intended to be passed through by said fibres ( 12 ), said device being configured to vary the deployment of said fibres ( 12 ), from said mesh ( 20 ), when the applicator ( 10 ) is moved with respect to the mesh ( 20 ).

The invention relates to a device for applying a cosmetic product, in particular mascara.

There are multiple types of devices for applying a cosmetic product, some of which are in the form of a brush, while others of which are in the form of a comb. Each of these devices has its own advantages and drawbacks. For example, those devices produced in the form of a comb make it possible to separate a user's eyelashes in a satisfactory manner.

Devices of this kind are fixed, regardless of the form thereof. In other words, the known devices for applying a cosmetic product, in particular for applying make up to a user's eyelashes, have a structure that does not change during its service life. Therefore, these devices have the drawback of providing just one make-up effect.

The invention aims to provide a device for applying a cosmetic product which is capable of providing make-up effects that may vary.

Therefore, the invention relates to a device for applying a cosmetic product, in particular mascara, comprising an applicator and a sieve, said applicator comprising a plurality of fibres which form an application region.

According to the invention, the applicator is capable of being moved relative to the sieve, said sieve defining a mesh which is provided so that said fibres can pass therethrough, said device being designed to vary the deployment of said fibres from said sieve when the applicator is moved relative to the sieve.

The device of the invention makes it possible to vary the deployment, and therefore the rigidity, of the fibres by means of which a user applies a cosmetic product. Therefore, the device of the invention is capable of providing make-up effects that may vary.

According to different embodiments of the invention, which may be taken together or separately:

-   -   said sieve is in the form of a strip,     -   said strip is substantially planar,     -   said strip is made of plastic material,     -   said sieve is capable of wiping said fibres,     -   the applicator comprises a core from which said application         region extends,     -   said core has a main longitudinal extension direction, referred         to as the main direction,     -   the applicator is capable of being translated relative to the         sieve in said main direction,     -   said fibres extend in said main direction in a retracted         position relative to the sieve,     -   said fibres fan out in a deployed position relative to the         sieve,     -   the core of the applicator also has a proximal end and a distal         end, said distal end being opposite said proximal end along said         main direction,     -   said fibres project from said distal end,     -   said fibres are divided into a plurality of fibre bundles by         means of said sieve,     -   said translational movement is capable of varying the deployment         of said plurality of bundles from said sieve,     -   the device of the invention further comprises a body which         supports said sieve, in particular at one of the distal ends of         said body,     -   said applicator is movable in said body,     -   said body is a flexible envelope,     -   the mesh defined by the shapes of the sieve comprises recesses         for said fibres, said recesses being spaced 300 to 600 microns         apart.

The invention will be better understood, and its other aims, details, features and advantages will become clearer in the following detailed explanatory description of at least one embodiment of the invention given as a purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an application device according to the invention, comprising an applicator and a sieve,

FIG. 2 is a partial view of FIG. 1, the applicator being in a first position relative to the sieve,

FIG. 3 is likewise a partial view of FIG. 1, the applicator being in a second position relative to the sieve.

As shown in FIG. 1, the invention relates to a device for applying a cosmetic product, in particular mascara, comprising an applicator 10 and a sieve 20.

The applicator 10 comprises a plurality of fibres 12 which form an application region, which is provided with reference sign Z in FIGS. 1 to 3. In this case, the applicator 10 comprises a core 11 from which said application region Z extends. Said core 11 has a main longitudinal extension direction, referred to as the main direction and provided with reference sign X in FIGS. 1 to 3. Preferably, and as shown in FIG. 1, the core 11 of the applicator 10 has a proximal end 16 and a distal end 14, which is opposite to said proximal end 16 along said main direction X.

The applicator 10 may advantageously be a brush or a comb. In both cases, the fibres 12 are flexible fibres when taken individually. In other words, each fibre 12 can be easily deformed, in particular when a user exerts two opposing forces to each of the ends of said fibre 12, respectively. Taken as groups, said fibres 12 form fibre bundles which are less flexible than the fibres 12 taken in isolation. In other words, the fibre bundles are flexible, while having a rigidity that is sufficient for preventing them from becoming bent under the action of a force, in particular when this force acts transversely to the direction X. “Becoming bent” is understood to mean forming a bend.

Therefore, the fibre bundles have a rigidity which allows them to deploy, but without becoming bent, when they come into contact with a surface on which make up is to be applied.

Said application region Z is defined by said fibre bundles. Said bundles form, in particular by means of the free ends of said fibres 12, what is referred to in the following as a fan.

It is also provided for said fibres 12 to pass through the sieve 20. This is possible because said sieve 20 forms a mesh, or a series of recesses 22, for said fibres 12.

It should be noted that said sieve 20 is preferably in the form of a strip, which is provided with reference sign B in FIG. 1, and that this strip B is substantially planar, i.e. planar or slightly arched.

Moreover, the applicator 10 is capable of being moved relative to the sieve 20. The arrows provided with reference signs F1 and F2 in FIG. 1 show this movement. More specifically, the movement of the applicator 10 relative to the sieve 20 is a translational movement in said main direction X. The arrow F1 indicates a direction in which said distal end 14 of the core 11 of the applicator 10 is moved away from the sieve 20, whereas the arrow F2 indicates the opposite direction.

The movement of the applicator 10 relative to the sieve 20 causes the deployment of said fibres 12 from said sieve 20 to vary. In other words, the application region Z formed by the fan of fibres 12 varies depending on the position of the applicator 10 relative to the sieve 20.

FIG. 2 shows a first example of the position that the device of the invention can assume. It will be said in the following that the applicator 10 assumes a first position relative to the sieve 20.

This first position is reached when the distal end 14 of the core of the applicator 10 is particularly close to said sieve 20. The fibres 12 thus form a fan which defines an application region Z which is particularly wide on either side of the axis X. The engagement between the root of said fibres 12 and the recesses 22 which form the mesh of the sieve 20 is what makes it possible to achieve such an arrangement of said fibres 12. “Root” is understood to mean the site from which a fibre 12 projects from the core 11.

In other words, the fibre bundles have a rigidity that allows them to deploy out from the recesses 22, forming a fan, in particular because said recesses are close to one another; namely, these recesses 22 are spaced 300 to 600 microns apart, for example.

It should be noted that FIG. 2 shows a position that is reached when the applicator 10 is brought closer to the sieve 20, in particular in the direction of the arrow F1 in FIG. 1. In order to achieve this, a user operates the applicator 10 by exerting pressure on the proximal end 16 of the core 11, preferably using his fingers. Said user thus translates the applicator 10 towards the sieve 20. This leads to the fibres 12 deploying out on either side of the main direction X to form the particularly wide application region Z which is shown in FIG. 2.

In this case, the fan of fibres 12 formed in this way is within a substantially planar envelope because the strip B formed by the sieve 20 is substantially planar.

FIG. 3 shows a second example of the position that the device of the invention can assume, which position is referred to in the following as the second position. This second position is reached when the distal end 14 of the core 11 of the applicator 10 is moved away from the sieve 20.

The obtained application region Z is thus narrow around the main direction X, and the fibres 12 form, from the sieve 20, an arrangement that is more rigid than the fan shown in FIG. 2. This arrangement will be referred to as a retracted fan, while the fan in FIG. 2 is a deployed fan.

Indeed, the distance between the free end of said fibres 12 and the sieve 20 is shorter in this case than in FIG. 2. Therefore, the deflexion exerted on the free end of each fibre 12 when the device of the invention is in said second position is weaker than when the device is in said first position. “Deflexion” is understood to mean the action of gravity exerted on the free end of the fibres 12.

It follows that the application region Z is no longer a deployed fan, but rather a strip of relatively rigid fibres 12. Therefore, in this second position, the device of the invention makes it possible to accurately apply make up to the user's eyes.

By contrast, the device of the invention, when in said first position, provides soft-touch make-up options, thus making it possible to apply make-up on larger surfaces right from the first use.

FIG. 3 therefore shows a position that is reached when the applicator 10 is moved away from the sieve 20, in particular in the direction of the arrow F2 in FIG. 1.

For this to happen, the user operates the applicator 10 by pulling the core 11 by its proximal end 16, preferably using his fingers. Said user thus translates the applicator 10, which moves it away from the sieve 20. This leads to said fibres 12 grouping together around the main direction X to form the narrow application region Z which is shown in FIG. 3.

As is the case for the deployed fan in FIG. 2, the retracted fan is within a substantially planar envelope because the strip B formed by the sieve 20 is substantially planar.

Two example positions have been described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. However, the device of the invention makes it possible to vary the deployment of the fibres 12, and therefore the application region Z, according to the user's wishes. In other words, the user can vary the deployment of said fibres 12, and therefore the application region Z, by simply moving the applicator 10 relative to the sieve 20, and any position between said two provided end positions is possible.

The user thus produces as many make-up effects as he wants using just one device for applying a cosmetic product.

The fibres 12 are, for example, plastics fibres made of polyamide, in particular of the Nylon type.

It should be noted that said strip B is advantageously made of plastics material.

It should further be noted that said device may be designed such that the sieve 20 is used to wipe said fibres 12, for example when they have been loaded with mascara.

It should also be noted that the sieve 20 may also be designed to engage with an elongate wiper, said wiper being matched to the substantially planar strip B formed by said sieve 20.

The device of the invention advantageously comprises a body 30 which supports said sieve 20 (see FIG. 1). In this case, this body 30 is a flexible envelope, which is for example made of transparent plastics material. The applicator 10 is therefore movable in the body 30, which protects said applicator from the outside.

In a variant, the body 30 is rigid, i.e. not deformable under the force of the user's fingers. An actuation nipple (not shown here) is then provided to enable the user to move the applicator 10 relative to said body 30. This means that said actuation nipple is accessible from outside said body 30 and that it is mechanically connected to said applicator 10 which in turn is inside the body 30.

Said device may be designed such that said fibres 12 extend as a whole in said main direction X in a position in which they are completely retracted relative to the sieve 20. Said fibres are therefore advantageously retracted into said body 30.

It should also be noted that variants are of course possible. In particular, it is also conceivable, in an embodiment which is not shown here, for the strip formed by the sieve to be cylindrical or to have a polygonal cross section. 

1. A cosmetic product application device for applying a cosmetic product, comprising: an applicator and a sieve, said applicator comprising a plurality of fibres which form an application region, the applicator being moveable relative to the sieve, said sieve defining a mesh permitting said fibres to pass therethrough, said device varying deployment of said fibres from said sieve when the applicator is moved relative to the sieve.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sieve is in the form of a strip.
 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said strip is substantially planar.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a core from which said application region extends, said core having a main longitudinal extension direction, and wherein the applicator is translatable relative to the sieve in said main longitudinal direction.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said fibres extend in said main longitudinal direction in a retracted position relative to the sieve.
 6. The device according to claim 4, wherein said fibres fan out when in a deployed position relative to the sieve.
 7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the core of the applicator further comprises a proximal end and a distal end opposite said proximal end along said main longitudinal direction, and wherein said fibres project from said distal end.
 8. The device according to claim 4, wherein said fibres are divided into a plurality of fibre bundles by said sieve, said movement of said applicator varying the deployment of said plurality of bundles from said sieve.
 9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a body supporting said sieve.
 10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said applicator (10) is movable in said body (30).
 11. The device according to claim 9, wherein said body is a flexible envelope.
 12. The device according to claim 5, wherein said fibres fan out when in a deployed position relative to the sieve.
 13. The device according to claim 6, wherein the core of the applicator further comprises a proximal end and a distal end opposite said proximal end along said main longitudinal direction, and wherein said fibres project from said distal end.
 14. The device according to claim 5, wherein said fibres are divided into a plurality of fibre bundles by said sieve, said movement of said applicator varying the deployment of said plurality of bundles from said sieve.
 15. The device according to claim 6, wherein said fibres are divided into a plurality of fibre bundles by said sieve, said movement of said applicator varying the deployment of said plurality of bundles from said sieve.
 16. The device according to claim 7, wherein said fibres are divided into a plurality of fibre bundles by said sieve, said movement of said applicator varying the deployment of said plurality of bundles from said sieve.
 17. The device according to claim 10, wherein said body is a flexible envelope. 